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California's Spenceville Wildlife Area is an 11,950-acre wildlife preserve and natural area in the Sierra Mountain foothills. It is located in Nevada and Yuba counties, about 20 miles east of Marysville. Hiking opportunities in Spenceville include waterfall hikes, secret swimming holes, oak woodlands and birdwatching opportunities.

Identification

The Friends of Spenceville list about a dozen hiking trails in the wildlife area. The trails are low-elevation, with Spenceville terrain ranging between 200 and 1,200 feet in elevation. No ATVs or off-highway vehicles are allowed on trails, and bikes are limited to roads. Horseback riding is allowed on designated trails throughout the wildlife area. Because of Spenceville's low, warm location, hiking is best from fall through spring.

Trails

The most recognized hikes in Spenceville are the trails to Fairy Falls, also called Shingle Falls. These hikes leads to a series of two waterfalls that drop around 100 feet; the deep pools at the bottom of the falls serve as swimming holes. The falls are reached via several different routes, including Fairy Falls Trail and Upper Loop Trail. Lower Loop Trail provides another option for side-hiking and looping. The roundtrip to the falls is about five miles. Other trails include the North Valley Trail, Hilltop Trail and Dry Creek Trail.

Wildlife

As a wildlife area, one of Spenceville's main attractions is the living creatures that reside in the vicinity. Spenceville has more than 200 types of mammals, birds and reptiles. Keep your eye out for Columbian black-tailed deer, river otter and black-tailed jack rabbit. You might see a wild pig. Reptiles include western whiptails and northern Pacific rattlesnake. Other species include the Pacific tree frog, muskrat and gray fox.

Considerations

Hunting is a popular activity in Spenceville. It is allowed from September 1 through January 31, and in spring turkey-season. Hikers might want to avoid visiting the area during these periods. Camping in designated campsites is allowed from September 1 through the end of turkey season. Spring is the best time for viewing lush greenery and wildflowers, while summer offers golden surroundings.

References

About the Author

Joe Fletcher has been a writer since 2002, starting his career in politics and legislation. He has written travel and outdoor recreation articles for a variety of print and online publications, including "Rocky Mountain Magazine" and "Bomb Snow." He received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Rutgers College.

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